


Skin Deep

by bygoshbygolly



Category: We Are All Completely Fine - Daryl Gregory
Genre: Hospitals, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-02
Updated: 2016-12-02
Packaged: 2018-09-06 01:30:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8729395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bygoshbygolly/pseuds/bygoshbygolly
Summary: Barbara's mother tries to reassure her following the encounter with the Scrimshander.





	

Her mother didn’t know what to say. Barbara watched her open and close her mouth half a dozen times, watched the expressions flit across her face—sadness, relief, confusion—and said nothing. She didn’t know what to say either.  
  
“I’m just so happy you’re alive,” her mother said finally, for the fifteenth time. Barbara tried to smile, but from the way her mother’s eyes welled up with tears, she hadn’t been successful. Her whole body felt strange, alien. Barbara traced the scar running down her opposite arm. Her mother reached out and grabbed her hand.  
  
“Oh, Barbara,” she said wetly. “It’s all right. The scars aren’t that bad.” A lie. “Beauty is only skin deep, anyway.”  
For the first time since the Scrimshander had taken her, Barbara laughed. It sounded terrible, sharp barks on short exhales. She kept laughing, even though her chest burned and her eyes watered from pain and laughter.  
  
“Barbara? Are you all right? Barbara, what’s wrong?” her mother looked terrified, and Barbara tried to take a deep breath, felt her stitches strain, and started laughing again. “Stop it, you’ll hurt yourself!”  
  
“I’m sorry,” Barbara wheezed. She managed to stop laughing. “I’m sorry.” She wiped her face. “You’re right.” Her scars ached where the Scrimshander had cut her open. She thought of the carvings he had left on her bones, wondered what they looked like. “You’re right. It’s what’s on the inside that matters.”


End file.
